Committee rejects gun restrictions

Legislation that would limit the number of pistols that people can buy and would set up a licensing system for gun dealers failed Tuesday in an Illinois Senate committee.

The Senate Judiciary Committee also voted against requiring gun owners to report lost or stolen weapons, part of a broader bill to tighten laws on unlawful use of weapons.

Mayor Daley has urged state lawmakers for years to pass the restrictions, only to suffer repeated defeats.

Todd Vandermyde, lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said the committee's action shows "Chicago-style gun control is not going to fly statewide."

Regional differences dominate gun control debates in Illinois, with Downstate lawmakers from both parties tending to oppose gun control, while Chicago Democrats and some suburban Republicans support it.

The bill to limit buyers to one handgun a month failed 4-5. Advocates said it would reduce "straw purchases," where people illegally buy guns on behalf of others.

Critics say the state has a law against illegal purchases already and that there is no evidence that limiting purchases will reduce violence.